Austen in August Lookbooks Presents: MARIANNE DASHWOOD

Though this was the first lookbook I decided to do, it surprisingly ended up being the hardest.  Emma Woodhouse was classy and sleek, and I found things for her everywhere; Lydia Bennet was bold and a bit garish, and I'm still finding things for her.  But this one... I tell ya, it's not as easy as I thought it'd be to create a romantic but modern look for one Miss

MARIANNE DASHWOOD

Dressing Marianne was surprisingly difficult because I felt like she was judging everything I picked... I could hear her in my head, sometimes sounding like Kate Winslet, sometimes like Charity Wakefield, but always sounding disapproving... I wanted to create a look that suited her youth, her sense of romance, and most of all, her spirit. Turns out, this is no easy task...
Though I have finally come up with something, and I have separated it into "looks," much like Lydia, I feel Marianne's wardrobe would be very mix/match, and would not depend overmuch on whether something actually "goes" together, but rather how it makes her feel. I also didn't include any makeup options this time around, because I think Marianne would keep that aspect as simple and fresh-looking as possible.
My buzzwords in shopping for Marianne were: fresh, romantic, pastel, soft, patterned/textured, natural.

Look #1: I feel like Marianne would be the Queen of Cute Frocks, and her first look might be her "cutest" (and certainly her most quirky).  She loves this dress because something about birds and free-spirits = meant to be.

dress: Hummingbird heartbeat, Ruche; shoes: Tovah in Blush, JustFab; bag: Ditsy Love wristlet, Deux Lux; accessories: Caviar Heart ring, Wet Seal, Bow & Heart necklace, Betsey Johnson, Polka Dot earrings, Betsey Johnson

Look #2: Marianne has stolen the birds from her first look and worked them into almost-matchy garden-party look; she threw in a red hat to shake it up and keep it from being too structured.

dress: Garden Whispers, Ruche; shoes: Aneesa in Coral Reptile, JustFab; bag: Leisure clutch, JustFab; accesories: Square-stone bracelet, RJ Graziano, Five Bird necklace, 'ZAD, and shamefully, I don't remember where I got the hat (so if you know, tell me!)

Look #3: This is Marianne's most casual, effortless look - her version of on-the-go. Also, I think she'd really like fringe...

dress: Retro Print Skater dress from Forever 21; shoes: Phyllis flats, JustFab; bag: Niagara Falls bag, JustFab; accesories:Flicker earrings, Lia Sophia

Look #4: And lastly, we end with her most romantic, most flirty Night Out look. And no, Marianne is never afraid to mix pinks and reds.

dress: Tiered Ruffle Tube Dress from Forever 21; shoes: Jennifer peep-toes, Just Fab; bag: Quilted Heart wristlet, Betsey Johnson; accesories: Hammered Metal bracelet, Carol Dauplaise, Le Petite Pastel stretch bracelet, Spring Street

There you have it. That's my last Austen lookbook for this year. Let me know what you guys think, and if you want to see more of these next year!

Also, if you have an opinion on how Marianne would dress, let me know in the comments!

Click here to be taken to the Austen in August Main Page! Fab button artwork c/o Antique Fashionista!